For the first time in their six-year history, the IronPigs have two players on the post-season International League All-Star team. Third baseman Cody Asche and second baseman Cesar Hernandez were named to the 12-player squad that also features two players...

Third baseman Cody Asche is the highest-ranking IronPig in the on-line voting for the International League all-star squad which will meet the Pacific Coast League in the annual Triple-A All-Star game next month in Reno. Asche is second to Buffalo's Andy...

There are as many ex-Phillies as current Phillies on Baseball America's top 100 prospect list, released Tuesday afternoon. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud, sent to Toronto in the Roy Halladay deal and since moved to the Mets for another Cy Young Award winner, R....

A look at the highlights of what's happening all around spring training in Florida and Arizona today:
___
SPEED IT UP
Reds speedster Billy Hamilton, out since injuring his right shoulder in a collision with the outfield wall March 6, is set to return...

Reds 5, Cubs 2
Spring record: 0-2-1
The summary: The highly anticipated debut of left-hander Jon Lester lived up to its brief but impressive billing before a Sloan Park record crowd of 15,331. Lester struck out three while allowing only a broken bat single to Chris Dominguez in the second. The Cubs, however, stranded runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings against left-hander Tony Cingrani.
At the plate: Outfielder Junior Lake, who could benefit from a change of scenery, hit a...

For Jon Lester, it was just the beginning of the road to opening day. Nothing more, nothing less.
Lester pitched two scoreless innings Friday in his spring debut with the Chicago Cubs, who lost 5-2 to the Cincinnati Reds.
The veteran left-hander got Billy Hamilton to fly out to right leading off the game, and then struck out Brandon Phillips, Todd Frazier and Jay Bruce — all swinging. He broke Chris Dominguez's bat on a one-out single in the second, and Kristopher Negron followed with a double-...

The summary
Jon Lester's highly anticipated debut lived up to its impressive billing in two brief innings before a Sloan Park record crowd of 15,331. Lester struck out three while allowing only a broken bat single to Chris Dominguez.
At the plate
Left fielder Junior Lake, who might benefit from a change of scenery, singled and stole second base in the second but had to leave the game because of an undisclosed injury after stealing second in the fourth. The Cubs were 2-for-11 with runners in...

David Buchanan recited the fifth inning of his June 8 start in Cincinnati as if it occurred yesterday.
Most importantly, the 25-year-old remembers the mistakes he made in a game in which he had really good stuff.
The right-hander got cute with a curveball to opposing pitcher Homer Bailey, who dribbled a two-run single up the middle. He then grooved a full-count pitch to Billy Hamilton, who homered to complete a four-run inning.
In Buchanan's eyes, the damage should have been minimized.
"The next...

Dee Gordon is delighted to be returning to his home state.
The Miami Marlins are excited about the prospect of the speedy leadoff hitter running home time and again in the coming years.
No one more so than Giancarlo Stanton, who was "thrilled," according to club owner Jeffrey Loria, who exchanged texts with the slugging right fielder after the Marlins completed the seven-player trade to acquire Gordon in a seven-player trade with the Dodgers on Wednesday.
Loria said Gordon and Stanton will combine...

Jose Abreu, the $68-million Cuban import who stepped into the Chicago White Sox' cleanup spot on his first day in the major leagues and dominated thereafter, was a unanimous selection Monday as American League rookie of the year.
Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker was second in the voting and New York Yankees pitcher Dellin Betances finished third.
New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom won the NL rookie of the year, followed in the voting by Cincinnati Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton and St. Louis...